"The Outcasts" ( ABC 1968-69) Theme by Hugo Montenegro. (With a wink and nod to Morricone)
Another of the short lived forgotten "If you blinked you missed it" series of the time with a catchy theme. I always remembered this theme since hearing it as a little kid but remembered nothing of the series until somebody posted a few clips of it on You Tube like this one.
Thanks to vinylman I just found and watched this on YT and it's well worth half an hour of your time...
I suppose it all depends what we consider exciting. For me the first obvious examples are various ITC themes by Edwin Astley and co., including most of Barry Gray's music for Gerry Anderson. The latter were mostly attached to action packed title sequences, and the music reflected them perfectly. Stingray, Thunderbirds, UFO and Space 1999 are all extremely exciting to my mind.
While Doctor Who is my favourite all-time tv series, the theme hasn't always been arranged in an exciting way to match the above. Two recent examples were the Series 4 (with David Tennant/Catherine Tate) 'rocky guitar' version, and the Series 5 (Matt Smith) one with it's controversial 'into action' non-Ron Grainer intro.
Many examples listed so far have included westerns (including favourites of mine), which by definition sometimes demands action led themes. High Chaparral is definitely one of these. Maybe to be exciting doesn't always mean action style, but simply that intro to a series that excites us when we hear it as a clarrion call to come and watch the latest episode of our favourites tv shows.
There are many US shows with the most exciting themes. Surely Hawaii Five- O, The Green Hornet and Mission Impossible are three top-drawer examples.
Meanwhile, back at ITC I return to two definite candidates for most EXCITING. There can be no catchier or exciting themes than Ron Grainer's Man in a Suitcase:
Anyone who hasn't seen the live version at the end of Jools' excellent Astley documentary above (about 11:00) please do so NOW! Don't know about rythm and blues, for me it rocks! Straight after broadcast I must've watched this ten times, after which I was thoroughly exhausted. AMAZING!
My top ten in no particular order in terms of excitement over favourite:
Stingray - Barry Gray Thunderbirds - Barry Gray UFO - Barry Gray Space 1999 - Barry Gray Man in A Suitcase - Ron Grainer Danger Man (aka 'High Wire'. Season 2 on) - Edwin Astley The Avengers - Laurie Johnson Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) Department S - Edwin Astley Jason King - Laurie Johnson
Yeah, I know. All British (though aimed at a 'mid-Atlantic'), ITC and no Who! Favourite doesn't automatically mean EXCITING. All the above I find damn catchy with infectious melodies. Nothing to beat 'em.
A US tv serial starring a British actor, and for many years in the UK marketed as a movie! Oddly enough the same star as Danger Man, or as the US called it, Secret Agent. Admittedly with an equally EXCITING theme SONG.
A lot of folks seem to forget the exciting part. Unless they can of course say why it's exciting. I've more or less stated why I think my favourites are exciting.
Exciting here seems to equate with favourite. Is it the same? I don't feel personally that it is. Unless for the reasons I said before. You're doing something in the house. Then you hear that theme. THEN any theme is exciting. For me, it's a genuinely exciting piece of music. I think my examples are.
Alright... I just looked over this entire thread, and I wasn't about to look at all the untitled youtube links, so I don't know if this HAS been posted..... and while I'm not so sure this is considered "Damn exciting"(though it gets ME excited listening to it!), it is DEFINITELY KICK-ASS! I'm talking about the second theme by Devorzon for Simon & Simon! I LOVE THAT THEME!!!!! I didn't give a rat's ass about this show, but nearly every week I would turn the TV on just to hear the theme, and then turn it back off!
Well since the thread title says exciting, these are the ones I would definitely put on my "Exciting List" for TV Themes. I think all of them are either exciting, exhilarating, blood pumping or adrenaline inducing; definitely get you excited for the show you are about to watch :
Bonanza The Virginian The Rifleman The Munsters Wild, Wild West Star Trek: TOS Mission: Impossible The Name of the Game Run For Your Life Hawaii Five-O Dragnet It Takes a Thief Mannix The Avengers (later theme from the late 60's) Adam-12 The Streets of San Francisco Ironside S.W.A.T. Starsky & Hutch (save for season 3's...that theme was kind of meh) Kojak (both themes) CHiPs Charlie's Angels Battle of the Planets Vega$ Hart to Hart Magnum P.I. The A-Team Matt Houston Simon & Simon Scarecrow & Mrs. King Knight Rider Hunter Air Wolf Miami Vice Amazing Stories Street Hawk Robo-Tech Sledge Hammer Star Trek: TNG MacGuyver Quantum Leap The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. Kung Fu: The Legend Continues
A US tv serial starring a British actor, and for many years in the UK marketed as a movie! Oddly enough the same star as Danger Man, or as the US called it, Secret Agent. Admittedly with an equally EXCITING theme SONG.
A lot of folks seem to forget the exciting part. Unless they can of course say why it's exciting. I've more or less stated why I think my favourites are exciting.
Exciting here seems to equate with favourite. Is it the same? I don't feel personally that it is. Unless for the reasons I said before. You're doing something in the house. Then you hear that theme. THEN any theme is exciting. For me, it's a genuinely exciting piece of music. I think my examples are.
